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| A solution to the Library's rat problem. |
Last night's packed Library Forum was also an enjoyable experience, though it was an imperfect joy. Billed as a forum for residents to express their concerns and ask questions about whatever is being done to the Library, it did devolve into something approaching a dog & pony show at times. Which was disappointing. After all, this wasn't supposed to be a campaign event.
Or so I had been led to believe.
Here is how that happened. Several residents would ask questions or make comments, and the city's attentive and alert new City Manager would then attempt to answer them. Which is good, it's what most folks had come to hear. Unfortunately, some annoying person from the Friends of the Library would then invariably leap up, grab the microphone, head to the front of the room, and proceed to give a long and windy lecture about how wonderful it would be if the Library were to move across town to the YAC Shack.
Obviously this repeated oddness was planned, and it did get tiresome quickly. And why exactly do they want to move the Library this badly? It's almost like a religion to them. A storefront true believer snake-handling a-talking in tongues kind of religion.
As an example, they repeatedly mentioned the rats in the basement of the Library like that is of an immense deal-breaking concern. Fine, rats suck. I get that. My house on Grove Street had plenty of rats, mostly in the attic. They were getting in there via the power lines.
So I got a cat, and then I didn't have rats anymore. Cats are great. You pay them in cheap smelly food and they don't get CalPERS. Which is good because cats have nine lives.
However, that is not what I wanted to share today. The good news came about when a former resident, dressed in attractive casual attire, suggested that a happy solution to the controversy over whether or not to move the Library and sell off the property would be to put the question on the ballot and let the people decide. The new and improved City Manager proclaimed his excitement over the prospect of a citizen referendum on this controversial matter, and vowed he would propose it to the City Council soon.
Wouldn't that be interesting? I wonder if the Friends of the Library will be hiring Martin Truitt to run their side of the campaign. They certainly have plenty of cash. Imagine the postcards!
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| How many Jolly Holly plants can each resident grow? |
Did anyone receive a letter with their latest water bill? It was written by a former city staff member named Michelle Keith.
The Sierra Madre Community Foundation (or SMCF for the acronymically inclined) is a charity that awards grants to organizations located in Sierra Madre. According to their website, it was founded in 2006. Past board members include Rob Stockly, John Cappocia and Frank Hall. Ms. Keith is the current chair.
This letter is soliciting donations from Sierra Madre's generous residents. It also names some of the past projects that the foundation has supported. But it does not specifically state what organizations or projects will be receiving the money that will be collected as a result of this particular city distributed letter.
The SMCF has donated money to the Sierra Madre Library in the past. Will they be doing so now? It is anybody's guess, I suppose. If they do donate money to the library, will it be for the current version, or the proposed new one? Please keep in mind that according to the city's own staff report, sufficient funding for the new library has yet to be secured. So there is that.
Some of you might recall the controversial Kersting Court"renovation" project that was presented to the City Council last year. Did you know it was organized by the Sierra Madre Community Foundation? Michelle Keith, Rob Stockly, and Bart Doyle all spoke in favor of it at the City Council meeting held on July 12, 2016.
Here is another unfortunately sourced solicitation for the SMCF:
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| Mountain Views News Aug 26, 2017 |
Along with the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce, the SMCF is sponsoring a program in preparation for the Christmas season. "Join in the holiday spirit," it says. "Purchase an ornament for the Sierra Madre Community Tree and help raise funds for civic improvements. Volunteers will be decorating Kersting Court in mid-November for the holidays."
What exactly do they mean by "civic improvements?" Do you know?
Should you choose to donate some of your hard earned dollars to this organization, be sure to ask them what project you might be supporting. The current Library? The new Library? The Kersting "Starbucks" Court renovation? Or, exactly what?
You really do need to inquire. After all, you have both a right and need to know how your money is going to be spent. Especially now.
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